Tool



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Patented Mar. 18, 1941 'roor. Manley R. Price, Lakewood, OhioApplication January 12,1939, Serial No. 250,599

2C1aims.

This invention relates to a tool device for applying fasteners,particularly screws, and specifically is concerned with an improvementin tools for driving such fastening members in locations which arealready marked on the work, as by depressions or sockets. I

The invention will be described principally as adapted for applyingscrews for holding perforated acoustical tile to a suitable backing, forinstance, as illustrated in my prior application, Serial No. 203,046,filed April 20, 1938, now

Patent No. 2,160,794 in which are shown, but not Another object is toprovide a simple means for aligning a fastener with the axis of a toolpart such as a screw driver-or nail set so that the point of thefastener willremain centered on such tool axis during starting of thedriving operation on the fastener.

A further object is to provide a simple device for locating a,fastener-driving tool and the fastener with reference to a depression orsocket, or a particular work.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description relating to the accompanying drawing showingthe preferred forms. The essential characteristics-are summarized in theclaims.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a comerportion of a perfbrated acoustical tile, said view showing, intransverse section, an end portion of the tool device hereof infastener-locating position. Fig. 21s a central longitudinal sectionalview of the tool showing a further modified construction, particularlyof a fastener-centering means, and of a tool device locating means. Fig.5 is a transverse one of a pluralitythereof, in the sectional view takensubstantially along the line 55 on Fig. 4. A

Referring to Fig. 1, the tile T, a corner portion of which is shown, maybe formed, for instance, of matted fibers as in the well known Acousti-Celotex tile. Such tile has a multiplicity of sound receivingperforations p distributed overits exposed face, including a small groupsuch as specifically indicated at a, b, c, and d close to the corner andwhich are shallower than the others. The relationship in depth of theperforations is illustrated in Fig. 2. v

The tool \device, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, comprises a body member Iadapted conveniently to be held in the hand; the body being providedcentrally of it with a fastener-driving part 2 (here: inafter referredto for convenience as the tool) which may have a screw driver end 3 forengagement with an ordinary wood screw such as indicated at S, or a,helical nail (drive screw) which is to be driven through the tile andinto a suitablebackingfor the tile such as indicated in Fig. 3 at B. Thebody may be non-circular for facilitating gripping of it in the hand, orknurled as suggested at 5.

At the outer end of the body are a pair of arms 6 which supporttool-locating 'pins I and 8 parallel to the axis of the tool. One canbe, shorter than the other (pin 1) and adapted to engage any one of theperforations a, b or c, and the other (pin 8) one of the perforations p,as in Fig. 2, to locate the axis of the tool directly over one of theshallow perforations b, c, or d.

becomes properly. aligned with one of the shallow perforations. Two 'ofthe four proper positions of the arms 6 are indicated, one by brokenlines. Wider spacing of the pins from the tool axis could be used toalign the tool with the perforation it only, if desired.

The tool 2 is supported slidably and rotatably in the body I as by easyfit in a bore III at one end of the body and similar fitting of a shankportion l2 in a central bore 15 of a cap piece I6. The cap piece may bethreaded onto the body as at IT. Located in a counter-bore 20 of thebody is a coil spring 2| surrounding the shank of the tool and bearingat oneend on-the cap piece l6 and at the other against an enlargedabutment element or shoulder 22 fastened to the tool 2 against axialmovement thereon. The spring normally forces the tool end 3 towardthebore I0 in a direction tending to drive the fastener into the work. Theouter end of the shank I2 is suitably formed as at 23 for engagementwith a driving member or mechanism such, for instance, as the chuck ofthe well known Yankee type screw driver. shoulder 25 are adapted tocooperate with such chuck. The specific nature of the shank end isunimportant, since any type of driving means can be used to operate thetool 2. In the form shown, compression of the spring limits the outwardor retracting movement of the tool in the body I.

From the above, it will be seen that with the tool 2 withdrawn to. theposition shown in Fig. 2, the fastener, such as a screw S may be droppedin the outer end of the bore l0 and then, upon rotation of the tool 2and advancement of it toward the bore I0, the end 3 will become engagedwith the slot in the head of the screw to enable the screw to be turnedand forced endwise to drive the screw into the work. When the screw hasadvanced so that its head is seated in the bottom of the perforation bas shown in Fig. 3, then the abutment element 22 engages the inner end21 of the counter-bore 20 and prevents further driving of the screw,thus limitin the fastening force of it. This same limiting will occur onthe remaining three .Jrners of the tile so that all four corners areattached with the same force. The

actual location of the limiting stop depends upon the position at whichthe screw head is to beseated in or against the work. The stop can bemade adjustable in any appropriate manner (not shown). A threaded collaron the outer end of the shank l2 adjacent the formation 23 could serveas an adjustable stop by engagement with the cap I6. 7

Preferably, the abutment element 22 comprises an anti-friction thrustbearing, such for instance, as shown in Fig. 3, wherein a series ofballs 30 are retained in races of bearing ring members 3| and 32 whichare held in position on the tool 2 as by engagement of one of thebearing members with a shoulder 34, and of the other with a collar 35fastened as by an appropriate pin to the tool' 2. Suflicient clearanceis provided between the plane of the shoulder 34 and the near end of thecollar 35 adjacent the bearing ring 3lso that the bearing can alwaysturn freely. With such anti-friction bearing limitin the outwardmovement of the tool 2, there will be no wear on the abutment stop, suchas 21, provided to limit the advancement of the tool end, and noappreciable resistance to free rotation at any time.

It will be apparent that a device constructed as described could be usedto drive any sort of nail and limit the fastening force thereof. The endportion of the tool would ordinaril be modified in accordance with thefastener-with which to be used.

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate, particularly, an arrangement for centralizingthe fasteners, as when the heads thereof are large in proportion to theshanks, or whenever required by the nature of the work. As shown,amodified locating member 40 The detent notches 24 and driving is shownon the end of the body id for engagement with a socket or depression 4|in the mem her to be fastened, which socket receives the head of thefastener in the final position of it. The member 40 may comprise aconical extension of a sleeve 42 secured to the head as by threads 43.

Radially positioned bores 45 spaced about the axis of the tool maysupport spring-pressed centering members for the fastener S, such assteel balls 41 arranged relative to the fastenerreceivlng bore M asshown in Fig. 5. The balls can be limited in their inward movement as byconstricted portions of the radial bores as at 48. Suitable yieldingmeans for moving the centering elements 41 into operating position maycomprise a single coil spring 49 in a circular recess 50 interceptingthe bores 45 in the plane of the centers of the balls 41; the ends ofthe coil spring being detachably secured together as at 5|.

It will be apparent that when placing the fastener in the tool device,the head of the fastener pushes the balls 41 outwardly, and that whenthe fastener is then moved or dropped into engagement with the workingend of the tool .2, the shank will be held centered; and also that, asthe tool is advanced, the head of the screw again pushes the balls backout of the way of the head to allow the latter to pass out of the boretoward the work.

I'claim:

1. A device for driving a headed fastener into one of a number ofprearranged spaced sockets in the work, said device comprising a bodyadapted to be grasped by and supported in one hand of an operator, saidbody having a tool slidably arranged in it, a bore in the body adaptedto receive an elongated fastener substantially entirely therewithin andto guide the head into cooperative engagement with one end of the tool,and short pins on the body parallel to the tool axis and diminishing incross section toward their extremities, said pins being arranged forselective engagement with a plurality of said sockets in the work in amanner to align the tool with another one of such sockets.

2. A device of the class described comprising a body adapted to be heldin the hand and having a tool slidably arranged in it, said body havinga surface of considerable extent adapted to abut the work, said surfaceextending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of thetool, and means projecting beyond said surface to engage the work in amanner to locate the tool in proper position relativeto the work, a borein the body adapted to receive a fastener for cooperative engagementwith one end of the tool, and

abutment means on the body and tool to limit the forward movement of thetool relative to the body, whereby, when said surface is held inabutment with the work at each position at which fastening is desired,each fastener will penetrate MANLEY R. PRICE.

